Phase 2. Interviews began in January 2002. All interviews took place in the
group setting.We sat around the table in the Schizophrenia Society office meeting
room while one member of the group interviewed another member. The rest of us
listened and occasionally contributed comments or asked follow-up questions.
With the exception of the university researcher, none of the members of the group
had ever conducted interviews, and most had never been interviewed. At first,
everyone was quite nervous about the interviewing, questioning their ability both
to conduct interviews and to be interviewed. In addition, there was some anxiety
about the tape-recorder being used to record the interviews, but, as with every stage
of the research process, the group members learned by doing. After discussion, led
by the university researcher, of what was entailed in interviewing, two brave members
offered to be the first to interview and be interviewed. This was followed by
group discussion of what was good about the interview and how the next pair
might improve on what had been done. As the interviews proceeded, all members
of the group took part, as interviewers, interviewees, or both, and their confidence
in their ability to participate in the process increased.We also conducted interviews
with several people who attend Unsung Heroes meetings sporadically and came to
the research group meeting only to be interviewed.